1

Animal
Diversity I
ZOL1501
Assignment 2
Unique number: 523853
Due Date: 2nd April 2024,

Mr Ambani R. Mudau
STUDENT NO: 19839707
STUDENT NAME: SIBONGILE KHATHI

Table of contents
 2

Page no:
Question 1 3

Question 2 3-4

Question 3 4-5

Question 4 5-6

Question 5 6-7

Question 6 7

Question 7 7-8

Question 8 8

Question 1
 3

1.1) A monophyletic group is a group of organisms that share a common

ancestor with all its members and descendants. The branch can be traced
to a common ancestor in an unbreakable chain.
1.2) Parthenogenesis is the development of an embryo from an
unfertilized egg. Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual
reproduction where the egg will develop into an embryo without a
sperm.
1.3) Metamerism also known as segmentation is the division of the
body into linear segments.
1.4) Epitoke is a modified, sexually matured worm in contrast to the
sexually immature atoke. Formed through a process called
epitoky, where a polychaete worm develops and becomes
sexually mature.
1.5) The peritonium is a membrane forming the lining of the
abdominal cavity or coelom n some vertebrates. It covers intra-
internal abdominal organs.

Question 2
2.1) Encystment is the formation of three-layered hard crust/cyst around
an organism to protect itself from unfavourable living conditions.
Excystment on the other hand is thee escape from a cyst through the
pore.

2.2) Pseudopodia found in protozoa. This describes how protozoans

move:
 Lobopodia, this type of pseudopodia is blunt and flat-like
extentions, elongated, flexible but lacking decrete joints.
 Filipodia, thin, sharp pointed extensions, commonly branching but
without ectoplasm.
 Axopodia, thin, long & pointed pseudopia supported by axial rods
of microtubules.
 Rhizopodia, branched filaments.
 Reticulopodia, branched filaments that form a netlike structure.
 4

Question 3
3.1) Biradial symmetry is when the organism can divide up into four
equal parts but only on two planes passing through the longitudinal axis,
where only opposite sections are identical. In sea anemones their
biradial symmetry allows for efficient feeding. Because they remain
stationary their tentacles need to move in all directions to maximize
feeding possibilities.

3.2 a) Chloragogen tissue is a group of cells that dwell in the coelomic

fluid of earthworms. Primarily chloragogen cells function as part of the
excretory system, they excrete nitrogenous waste and silicates.
Chloragogen cells also synthesis fat and glycogen.

3.2 b) In the earthworms, blood is circulated in an enclosed system,

consisting of vessels. The dorsal vessel, which extends from the pharynx
to the anus, is the pumping vessel acting like the heart. It pumps blood
into the aortic arches, collected from the digestive tract and vessels of
the body wall. The aortic arches help maintain a consistent pressure in
the blood vessel. The ventral vessel collects blood from the aortic arches
then delivers it to the brain, nephridia, digestive tract and the rest of the
body.

3.3) Different leeches feed on different forms of nutrition. Depending on

their habitants, their diet can vary,
 The most commonly known are “blood suckers”. These types of leeches feed
on the blood of large animals like mammals and birds by attaching
themselves to the skin of the host, piercing the hosts skin then sucking their
blood.
 Fresh water leeches feed on small insects and invertebrates
 Sea leeches feed on marine life and fish
 Terrestrial leeches are either carnivorous actively hunting and feeding on
insects and/ if the prey is large enough then they feed on their soft tissue.

Question 4
Clonorchis sinensis, also known as liver fluke.
 5

1st A raw, infected with Clonorchis sinensis fish is consumed by a human,

then takes up residence in the human’s liver on the bile duct.

2nd The eggs of the organism are going to pass through in the faeces of
the human.

3rd The eggs of the organism will not hatch until consumed by a snail.
 6

4th cercariae escape into the water and swim until they encounter,

5th they then attach themselves to the scales of the fish until consumed
by humans.

Question 5
Gastropods have three main subclasses, namely prosobranchia,
opisthrobranchia, and pulmonata.
Pulmonata consists of gastropods that are freshwater and terrestrial
species. Pulmonates exhibit detorsion which involves a change in
arrangement of internal organs during development as a result their
bodies are not twisted, and their organs are arranged more
symmetrically.
Oposthrobronchia consists of sea slugs, sea hares, nudibranchs, and
canoe shells all of which are marine animals. Oposthrobranchs show
partial or complete detorsion because of this the anus or gill are
displaced at the right side or rear of the body.
 7

Prosobranchia consists of marine snails and some freshwater and

terrestrial gastropods. Prosobranchs undergo torsion as a result the
mantle cavity anterior, with the gills lying in front of the heart.

Question 6
Schistosoma haematobium.
This species primarily infects the bladder and uterus.
Schistosoma japonicum.
This species infects the small intestines and the liver.
Schistosoma mansoni.
This species infects the large intestines and the liver.

Question 7
Ecdysis is the shedding of the exoskeleton/ outer layer of the skin.
1st the epidermis which is at the base of this operation becomes
enlarged, separating from the membranous layer, then starts to secrete
a new epicuticle and exocuticle.
2nd Enzymes are released into the area above the epicuticle to dissolve
the old endocuticle. Solution products are then reabsorbed.
3rd The crustacean then swallows water which is absorbed by the gut
and its blood volume increases. Internal pressure causes the cuticle to
split allowing the animal to pull itself away from the old exoskeleton.
In crustaceans ecdysis occurs due to development but can also occur
due to environmental stimuli such as temperature, day length and
humidity or the combination of either. The signal from the central
nervous system of the organism decreases production of a molt-
inhibiting hormone by the X-organ. The medulla terminalis is found in the
eyestalk. The hormone is transported to the sinus gland also in the
eyestalk, where it is released into the hemolymph. A drop in level of
molt-inhibiting hormone encourages the release of a molting hormone
from the Y-organs. Y-organs lie beneath the epidermis near the adductor
muscles of the mandibles, and they are homologous to prothoracic
glands of insects, which produce the hormone ecdysone. Action of
 8

molting hormone is to initiate processes leading to ecdysis. Once

initiated, the cycle proceeds automatically without further action of
hormones from either X- or Y-organs.

Question 8
Spiders are arachnids. This specie within the arachnid family
has the ability to secrete silk threads from the special
abdominal silk glands. A scleroprotein secretion emits liquid
from the spinnerets which then hardens to form a silk thread.
The spider weaves the web in a spiral and apullate threads
radiating from the center of the web to support both the web
and anything that lands on it.
The general understanding of web spinning is that spiders use
this mechanism to catch prey. Not all spiders spin webs as
traps, some spiders through sticky balls of silk to catch their
prey. Webs can be used to wrapping prey, or for a nursery.